Official Orioles and Nationals Thread 2012

Mark Reynolds is on fire.

Hindsight is 20 20. Did the Nats leadership really think they would be this good?

if they didnt, they need to get out of the baseball industry. Still a better way to do it than pulling their ace before a playoff run. Thats flat out retarded.

Washington Nationals shut down Stephen Strasburg for rest of season - MLB News | FOX Sports on MSN (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/stephen-strasburg-shut-down-for-season-washington-nationals-090812)

Stras' season is over. I can't say I'm suprised, I heard after the game last night that the stress of knowing when his season was going to end was weighing on him mentally during the game last night. Hopefully he comes back next year and has the type of season Zimmermann is having right now.

Was there any reason why Washington didnt go out and get a veteran starting pitcher, even one with playoff experience at the trade deadline? They were 10-15 options available. Really head scratching moves by the Washington FO. Would be nice to plug one in now.

I'm fine with John Lannan, he's been with the Nats a long time and up until a couple years ago was considered our "ace." Even though he got sent to the minors at the start of the season he performed well in the two doubleheader starts he got this season.

being that football takes up 99% of my sports interest/knowledge, can someone explain to me why they shut him down for the season?

being that football takes up 99% of my sports interest/knowledge, can someone explain to me why they shut him down for the season?

Sure.

Two years ago in Stras' rookie season, he injured his throwing arm and the procedure to fix it is called Tommy John surgery, named after a pitcher back in the day who had the procedure. Research done by professionals far more knowledgeable than I indicates that in the years following the procedure, pitchers arms' have a tendency to wear down and not become as effective, and that it doesn't help that they are given full workloads after surgery.

Given that Strasburg is one of those "once-in-a-generation" phenoms, the Nats were worried about his arm wearing down post-TJ surgery in the fashion of other starting pitchers who had had the surgery at some point in their careers. So in an effort to preserve his long term health and keep his arm from wearing down they decided before the season even started to keep him on an innings limit, so that his post-surgery workload wouldn't increase dramatically and to help his career last longer.

They did the exact same thing last year with another starting pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, (and nobody complained about it then because the Nats' weren't in a pennant race), and this year Zimmermann has been very effective and he's not on any innings limit whatsoever. So the strategy is, by limiting Strasburgs' innings now, it will preserve his effectiveness later. And I agree with that, because I am concerned about the long term for the Nats as well, not just this season. The naysayers keep saying it's crazy to shut down a healthy pitcher (who is also your ace) in the middle of a pennant race, but I agree with Rizzo and the experts who have done the actual research on this one.

Shut him down for the long term benefit. As for acquiring a pitcher wasn't worth giving up young talent for a a pitcher when rotations are shortened anyway come post season

Sure.

Two years ago in Stras' rookie season, he injured his throwing arm and the procedure to fix it is called Tommy John surgery, named after a pitcher back in the day who had the procedure. Research done by professionals far more knowledgeable than I indicates that in the years following the procedure, pitchers arms' have a tendency to wear down and not become as effective, and that it doesn't help that they are given full workloads after surgery.

Given that Strasburg is one of those "once-in-a-generation" phenoms, the Nats were worried about his arm wearing down post-TJ surgery in the fashion of other starting pitchers who had had the surgery at some point in their careers. So in an effort to preserve his long term health and keep his arm from wearing down they decided before the season even started to keep him on an innings limit, so that his post-surgery workload wouldn't increase dramatically and to help his career last longer.

They did the exact same thing last year with another starting pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, (and nobody complained about it then because the Nats' weren't in a pennant race), and this year Zimmermann has been very effective and he's not on any innings limit whatsoever. So the strategy is, by limiting Strasburgs' innings now, it will preserve his effectiveness later. And I agree with that, because I am concerned about the long term for the Nats as well, not just this season. The naysayers keep saying it's crazy to shut down a healthy pitcher (who is also your ace) in the middle of a pennant race, but I agree with Rizzo and the experts who have done the actual research on this one.
Actually it's less about the TJ surgery and more about the org's natural growth. Generally they avoid major inning increases. Since both he and Zimmerman reached majors quickly they didn't get to grow their innings over several seasons in the minors. This is what they do with all their pitchers just usually in AA.

Actually it's less about the TJ surgery and more about the org's natural growth. Generally they avoid major inning increases. Since both he and Zimmerman reached majors quickly they didn't get to grow their innings over several seasons in the minors. This is what they do with all their pitchers just usually in AA.

That's an interesting take that I haven't heard before, most likely because the media never mentioned it. I know Stras has never played a full season in the majors before and that played a part in it, but whether that was the main factor or the post-TJ surgery workload was I doubt we'll ever really know.